


Bleeding Pavements, Silent Hearts

by KathPetrovaDiary



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Championship, Confession, Fluff, Head trauma, Hospital, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Sad, USA GP, crash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-16
Updated: 2017-10-16
Packaged: 2019-01-18 06:45:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12383028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KathPetrovaDiary/pseuds/KathPetrovaDiary
Summary: "No response from Sebastian Vettel as the marshalls with the help of a reluctant Lewis Hamilton try to pry the championship leading car off the presumably hurt driver."Sebastian crashes during the USA GP in front of Daniel's eyes.As the German has to go to the hospital, Daniel realizes he can once again loose someone he cares about.Sebastidan angst with a bit of fluff to deal with the last four races of 2017.





	Bleeding Pavements, Silent Hearts

55 laps done, one to go. It has to happen now. Daniel is hot on his tail, Lewis slowing him down in front. He needs this win. Who's he kidding; He needs this championship. It's been too long since the golden RedBull days, too long since he's actually gone home feeling on top of the world.  
Lewis' tires are dead. He pitted too early and he's struggling to find the remaining grip. It's his chance.  
Turn one's coming up soon, but he's far behind the Mercedes car. Logic tells him ending up second isn't that bad, especially when risks are involved.  
His instincts tell him otherwise. When did he, a four-time worldchampion, become scared of some little danger. His whole career is based on living on the limit.  
"I'm doing it!" He says in the confined space of his helmet, not even bothering to turn on the radio.  
He gives it everything he has, taking the inside. Lewis must have seen him coming in his mirrors cause he closes the gap slightly. He moves towards the white line, tires edging on the border. He has to out-break the Britt to take lead. So he does.  
_________________________________________________________________

Daniel is feeling estatic. P3 once again. Valtteri is on a safe distance behind him, not forming any threat. Sebastian and Lewis are battling it out in front of, but he's decided not to interfere. He isn't fighting for the championship. They on the contrary are and all options are still open.  
He knows how badly Sebastian wants it. It's all he's been talking about since 2014 when it was clear he was going to leave for the red team.  
Daniel keeps an eye out for them and notices the risky moves his former teammate has been using to try and overtake Lewis.  
His heart literally skips a beat as he sees it happen. Turn one is a sharp corner, you've to hit every point correctly or you'll fly off the track. Both drivers didn't seem to manage it this time around.  
As Lewis moves under breaking, Sebastian has to stir to the left. Tires lock-up as he loses controle of the Ferrari slamming into Lewis' side. Both cars hit the barrier with a slam, smoke rising out of the damaged vehicles.  
"Dan, keep going!" Comes the stern voice over the radio, but fear makes him take the corner on auto-pilot. "Bring the car home! You've won this."  
Swallowing he presses the button to reply: "Are they alright? Any sign of movement?" Christian's answer makes his blood run cold: "Hamilton's out of the car and walking. No sign of Seb yet." Normally Daniel would laugh asking if his boss felt sentimentel 'bout the German again, but he can't find the words.

As he turns onto the straight, marshalls are signaling for him to drive into the pitlane. No victory lap. Good, he doesn't feel like celebrating right now.  
He parks the RB13 behind the number one sign, seeing Valtteri and Kimi come to a stop a few seconds later. It's quiet as he climbes out of his car. He takes of his helmet and balaclava in a hurry, running inside without a single glance at his team or the public.  
Hurling himself up the stairs towards the cool-down room, the applauding is droned out by the blood rushing in his ears.  
As the plasma-screen appears he halts. "Turn on the sound!" He practically shouts at the official standing next to the the balance. The man does as he's told noticing the frantic state of the Australian.  
Two pair of hurried footsteps follow as the Finns come to a stop next to him.  
"What happened?" Kimi asks, voice laced with unexpected emotion.  
Daniel glances behind him at the blonds. "Seb tried to pass at turn one, Lewis moved under-breaking, causing their tires to lock-up. They hit the barrier." Valtteri frowns at the explanation, not believing his teammate would make such a rookie-move.  
"They said they've lost contact with Sebastian." Kimi breaks the silence as they wait for a replay of the crash. Daniel turns around, making eye-contact with both.  
"He'll be okay." He sounds uncertain to even his own ears. "Lewis is up and walking, so Seb will be fine as well." He hadn't actually seen the crash unfold completely, not knowing which state both cars were in.  
As if they heard his thoughts, the scene unfolds on the screen. The trio looks on as they follow the leading Merc right before Sebastian makes his move.  
Horrified, Daniel's eyes widen as he sees the German's car slamming into the barrier before the Britt's ends up on top with a sickening thud. The analysing of the reporters makes the waiting even worse. The team-radio of Lewis pops up who comfirms he's okay, shaken but okay. The Ferrari crew's met with silence as not even a groan comes from the red horse.  
"No response from Sebastian Vettel as the marshalls with the help of a reluctant Lewis Hamilton try to pry the championship leading car off the presumably hurt driver. This is absolutely horrible."  
A scoff comes from Valtteri: "They're turning it into a goddamn show, while Sebastian's life is on the line." Daniel nods in agreement before going with a hand over his face. "They sure are, Val."  
_________________________________________________________________

The podium shouldn't have been held. Nobody cared enough to even utter a smile or answer the typical questions after a race. They just wanted to get off the stage as soon as possible and head back to their respective garages.  
Kimi hurries out of the building towards Maurizio. He stops in his tracks realizing someone needs the same reassurance from his team as he does right now. "Daniel, come with me. I'll fix it with the crew." A small smile appeares on the Australian's face as he runs to catch up with the Finn.  
As they arrive at the pitwall, Maurizio is screaming in Italian. Daniel wishes he didn't speak the language. The word sangue ringing in his head. Blood. A fair amount of blood had dripped onto the pavement as apparantly Lewis and a marshall finally got the unconscious driver out of his car.  
"Where is he now?" Daniel pulls all the attention to him, but surprisingly doesn't get told off. "They've taken him to Senton Medical Center. He didn't respond but he's alive."  
The sadness spreads through the team and Daniel feels like an outsider in the dark blue uniform. "Can I come with?" Kimi looks up confused at the younger man. He wasn't aware of the close bond between the previous teammates. "Come with me." The Finn says, planning on driving there himself. "Get changed, we leave in half an hour." Daniel doesn't need to be told twice.  
_________________________________________________________________

Daniel knows Kimi's rather the silent-type, but he always imagined it to be a cover in front of the camera's. All those times in the paddock he'd seen the older man laugh at Sebastian's awful jokes, he seemed like a playful person. Unfortunately Kimi isn't that fond of Daniel's silliness making the tension in the car feelable to both.  
"So..." The Australian mumbles acting on the need to fill the silence. "How're the kids?"  
A small sigh comes from the man next to him. "They're fine. Look, the only reason I asked you to come with is because I know you need to know he's okay as much as I do. Please, just for once, hush."  
Daniel nods, chewing on his bottom lip. "Message understood."  
Kimi feels a pang of guilt as he glances at the Aussie. He isn't as young as Max, but still rather innocent. The death of Jules three years ago had hit him hard and the fear of losing another friend is readable on his face. Maybe he can be a bit reassuring.  
"Seb will be fine, you know that right?" Daniel's surprised by the low voice. Weren't they going to finish this trip in silence?  
"But what if he won't?" The wreckage appears in front of his eyes, the image rooted in his mind forever. "Lewis was literally on top of him a-and the amount of speed they crashed with... Our cars are only that strong." Tears begin to form, but he won't allow them to fall. He shouldn't be thinking about the worst possible outcome. He should look on the bright side. "Being unconscious is one thing Kimi, but being totally unresponsive is another."  
They pull up the parking lot, noticing the already present media.  
"Wolves." Daniel says, disgust lacing his voice. "Someone's hurt and they're turning it into a spectacle."  
His companion shrugs parking the car. "That's sports." He grabs the man's arm before he can open the passenger side's door. "Hey, Seb wil be okay. Now put that grin on and walk through them."  
They get out of the car, pulling the hoodies over their heads. It's in vain as one reporter spots the two drivers, yelling their names and running towards them. Bright lights flicker in the darkened sky, blinding them.  
"Congratulations on the win! Here to rub in another victory?" Daniel has to refrain himself from punshing the British journalist in the face. Kimi notices and grabs the Australian by the arm pulling him towards the entrance.  
"Ignore them."  
_________________________________________________________________

"Possible head trauma? What does that even mean?" Daniel barely gets the words out of his mouth.  
The doctor nods at the two men. "Mister Vettel possibly sustained a form of head trauma during the crash. We can't be sure until he wakes up. Momentaringly we're threating his leg wound, which isn't too severe. We'll start running tests the moment he's conscious."  
"When can we see him?" Kimi asks. Daniel doesn't know how the Finn can keep his voice monotonious given the situation.  
"I'll come and get you when he's given a room. Until then, you can stay in the waiting-area. Maybe call some family or acquantainces of mister Vettel."  
The duo nods before taking place in the plastic chairs.  
"We should call Maurizio." Kimi says taking out his phone. Daniel follows suit, unlocking his iPhone. "Christian as well. He may not admit it to Max and I but he still cares about Seb." Both stare at their screens, unable to push the green button. They make eye-contact, not really knowing how to say what's on their minds.  
"Everyone deserves to know. Our bosses, his friends, his family, his fans... We can't keep his fate a secret." Daniel's the first to speak up. He wants to tweet to the world that Sebastian will be alright. It isn't his place though.  
Kimi scratches the back of his neck. "I know, but we don't know his state yet. Isn't it better only to inform our bosses and his family until we know for certain how this will turn out?"  
Daniel knows the blond's right, but it still feels wrong. "And Lewis... Lewis was involved in all this. He deserves to be kept up to date."  
Kimi nods, unlocking his phone again. "You call Christian and Lewis. I'll tell the others." The Australian sighs pushing the button. This is going to be a long night.  
_________________________________________________________________

"Any relatives to Sebastian Vettel?" Daniel awakes from his slumber the moment the name reaches his ears. "Yeah!" He jolts upright, regretting it a second after as he head pounds painfully. He decides to let the Finn sleep in the chair opposite of him.  
"Mister Vettel's been brought to his room. You can visit him if you want to, but only briefly." The doctor turns on his heal, not awaiting any form of reply.  
Daniel follows, being lead through different corridors all looking alike. A shiver runs down his spine. He hates hospitals. Death could await around every corner and he just doesn't like the idea of it.  
The man stops infront of a grey door, number 5 painted on it in black. He lets out a chuckle. How ironic.  
The doctor lays his hand on the doorknob, his head turning to the blue-clad man behind him. "He still hasn't reached consciousness so we're keeping a close eye on him. The monitors may seem a bit odd in the beginning, but just talk to him. Be positive. Every bit to pull him back helps."  
Daniel sets a step forward indicating he's ready. The doctor opens the door, letting him in.  
The soft beeping is the first thing he hears. He feels nervous. He has done this before with Jules, but this is different somehow. He actually dreads seeing Sebastian motionless, is afraid he can never unsee the sight.  
Mentally couting down from three, he takes a big step towards the bed in the room. It's like he falls down a twenty-story building. He's so used to see Sebastian smiling - or glaring him to death - he never imagined how he'd look otherwise. He remains in the same spot for a few seconds, but it feels like hours to him.  
As if hit by lightning, Daniel almost jumps forward. Grabbing a chair, he pulls it closer to the bed before taking place in it.  
"Hey, Seb... Sebastian... Sebby!" He tries to plaster that million dollar smile on his face, but he fails to truly make it shine. "Remember when we had to do those skits for Casio? You were so pissed off at me translating the words into another language. Until you did it yourself with first sector of course. Your small voice as you said it... It made my day. You looked so carefree for once." Daniel can't help but laugh at the memory. "It was a tough year for you, I know that. To me, it meant everything. Still does. Being able to race in one team with someone like you, it was a dream come true." Unknowingly he grabs Sebastian's hand, playing with his fingers as he continuous to reminisce about 2014.  
"It hurt when you left. It shouldn't have but it did. You and Mark fought constantly but you stayed anyway. When I came... It was like you left because of me. It felt like you couldn't stand to race against me. You later told me it was your dream to win a championship with Ferrari and I understood. I still understand, but that doesn't mean I don't miss you!" He has to take a deep breath, steadying himself. "How could you be so stupid? There was no gap and you know Lewis rather crashes than that he gives you an opening. Couldn't you forget about that damn championship for one second and think about your family and your team?! Stop and think about how we'd miss you? How I'd miss you?!"  
A dry sob racks his body as he looks at their intertwined hands. So far for being positive. "I can't believe I'm going to loose you too."  
"You won't." 

If he'd moved any faster, he would have dislocated his head. "Sebastian?"  
Tired, blue eyes stare at him. "One and only." The German's voice is raspy turning it a few octaves lower than usual. Daniel wants to pull his hand back, but Sebastian keeps it in place. He pinches the tanned fingers softly, a small smile on his lips.  
A huge grin breaks through the frown that was engraved in the young man's features for the past day. "You're back!" Without further thinking he throws himself onto the wounded, hugging him the best way he can. "Dan, careful." Sebastian wheezes out, the weight of Daniel pressing him into the mattress.  
"I'm sorry!" Comes a rushed apology as he pulls back. "I was just worried. Kimi and I've been here all night."  
His eyes grow comically wide as he realizes that the Finn's probably still sleeping in the waiting-area. Sebastian tries to contain his laughter by pressing his lips together. How he missed the idiot sitting next to him.  
________________________________________________________________

"We'll keep you monitored for a few more days and if no complications turn up you're good to go." A feeling of relief enters the room. Maurizio and Christian had turned up earlier when Kimi informed them Sebastian had woken up. The trio stood in the room, accompanied by Daniel who refused to leave the Ferrari driver's side, when the doctor came to tell them the results of the first few tests they'd done.  
"Can I race in Mexico this week?" Sebastian says, making everyone look at him.  
All eyes turn to the boy sitting in the hospital gown. "Are you out of your mind?!" Daniel's the first to find his voice again. Sebastian simply lifts his hand up to silence him. Christian pats his driver's back, knowing he'd never win an argument with the young German. He'd had more than enough experience.  
"Well, can I?" The doctor's baffled, doesn't really know what to say.  
"It's possible for you to race, but it can cause more damage. You've severe head-trauma, mister Vettel. You may feel like your old self, but it's a tricky injury. I can't stop you though. Once you leave the hospital, it's all up to you; but I advise against it." Maurizio thanks the man, sending him out of the door.  
"Have you lost your BLOODY mind?!" Daniel all but screams. The men around him wince with the exception of the blond adressed.  
"If I don't drive in Mexico and Lewis wins..." Sebastian spaces out for a second which only Daniel seems to notice. "I'll loose the championship. I'm so close right now. I-I need to win."  
"Not if you hurt yourself in the process. Sebastian, we all want to win, but not if it means risking your own health." Maurizio places a comforting hand on the German's shoulder. "We need you the next few years as well. One year lost is nothing."  
Sebastian stares at the white duvet refusing to meet his boss' eyes. "I'm not getting any younger. This can be my last chance."  
It stays silent as no one can think of something to say. He's thirty, slowly becoming one of the older drivers. 2017 could be his last chance indeed.  
"Can I talk with Seb alone for a minute?" Daniel's hesitant knowing that of all the people currently in the room, he's the least friendly with Sebastian. "Sure."

Blue meets brown, confusion meets determination.  
"Dan?" It's like a child's sitting in front of him. He seems so small in the hospital gown and covered in blankets.  
"You're not racing." It's time Sebastian sees his serious side. The German rubs his eyes, clearly tired of being told what's best for him.  
"I am racing! Once I get out of here I'm flying to Mexico-City, get a check-up by the medics and step into my car. Who're you to tell me what to do anyways!"  
He's never raised his voice when it comes to his ex-teammate but he's sick of being threated like a kid.  
"Do you even hear yourself?!" Daniel's becoming frantic. He's unable to understand how Sebastian can put his health aside so easily. "Yesterday you crashed because you were being reckless! You bled out on the pavement next to your oh so precious Ferrari! Kimi and I were here all night hoping you'd pull it through. You did and now you want to risk it all again? For a stupid championship?" Tears are burning in his eyes draining all the venom from him as he continues: "I almost lost you. Please, don't make me go through that again."  
Sebastian takes his lower lip between his teeth.  
Blue's still connected with brown. "Why do you care so much? You should be out there celebrating your victory."  
"I just do Seb..." Daniel sighs, looking at his feet. "You mean so much to me. As a fellow driver, but also as a person. 2014 was amazing. I'd wish nothing more than to have it back. I never thought any of it until you crashed. You crashed right in front of me and I felt so helpless. I couldn't reach you. I could do nothing but pray you'd made it out alright. I was so scared. The thought of losing you... I don't know what I'd do without you." He closes his eyes, the tears rolling down his cheeks. "Maybe this, us... Maybe it's different than all my other mates. It's something more... I love you Seb."  
Daniel definitely didn't plan this. He hadn't even realized it until now. His confession's unfortunately met by a deafening silence.  
"Seb, please say something." Looking up, he feels his heart drop. "Seb?!"  
Sebastian's unconscious, blood dripping from his nose.  
"Seb, wake up!" The small sentence's barely audible. He wants to shout out to Christian, but he can't find his voice. Two shaking fingers press against the cold, pale skin. A heartbeat. It's all the reassurance he needs. "Christian!"  
_________________________________________________________________

Daniel jolts awake, breathing heavy. He sits upright, legs dangling off the bedside. It was just another nightmare. He's had plenty ever since the American Grand Prix. The crash and it's aftermath will probably haunt him forever.  
He grabs his phone, unplugging it. It's the 29th. Race day. He shakes his head lightly, trying to wipe the dream from his mind. Instead he focuses on his lock-screen. The bright smile and blue eyes light up his phone and he can't help but mirror the expression.  
A sigh comes from next to him as a hand makes its way up his spine to rest in his neck.  
"I'm sorry." Daniel whispers, taking a hold of the hand. "I woke you up again, didn't I?" He turns around to meet the all too familiar blue eyes in person. "Yes."  
A devilish grin spreads onto the Australian's face. "I know how I can make it up to you."  
He leans in to plant a soft, yet demanding kiss on the German's lips.  
Sebastian moans into Daniel's mouth, deepening the kiss. The lack of sleep already forgotten.  
As they part for air, Sebastian moves closer towards his lover but Daniel shuffles away. "I've a race to win in a few hours."  
Sebastian groans as he leans on his elbows, face inches away from Daniel's.  
"You better win." He says leaning down to capture the man's lips. "Without me out there, you've no excuses to loose." He won't admit it to anyone, not even himself, but hearing Daniel's confession as he slowly drifted away scared him.  
If not becoming champion again is the outcome of never letting that happen again, so be it.  
Daniel chuckles: "Afraid, LeClerc wins and Ferrari realizes they've two old men sitting in their cars?"  
Sebastian can't help but laugh. "Don't forget you're only two years younger than me."  
"Fortunately I don't look my age. You on the contrary."  
Some German curses are heard in the darkness accompanied by an all too familiar laughter.

**Author's Note:**

> Didn't think I'd actually kill the love of my life, now did you?  
> I've researched the symptoms, including the bleeding, to be as correct as possible.
> 
> Every kudos and comment is appreciated. 
> 
> XOXO KPD


End file.
